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Bulls CEO Edgar Rathbone.
Lefty Shivambu / Gallo Images
- SA Rugby’s proactivity and initial scheduling were key factors in helping the Bulls and Lions agree on a new date for their Currie Cup derby.
- Edgar Rathbone, the Bulls boss, noted that the circumstances were different from the other four Covid-affected games that were previously canceled.
- He also disagreed with suggestions on social media that the Bulls received an unfair advantage by being able to reschedule the game.
Proactive negotiations and favorable scheduling enabled Bulls and Lions to reorganize their Currie Cup derby, which will now take place on January 6.
In the context of the national program, it is a significant development given that the accessory, which originally would have been made on Saturday night, is the first of the campaign that was not canceled due to Covid-19 protocols.
Three unlocked Super Rugby matches, the Lions-Cheetahs, Lions-Pumas and Sharks-Stormers, as well as the Bulls’ Currie Cup encounter with Griquas last weekend were discarded and draws declared as no dates could be found suitable alternatives.
“In terms of protocol, the option has always been there for teams to reschedule if a match was at risk. There must be an agreement between the two relevant unions,” he added. Edgar rathbonethe Bulls CEO said Tuesday.
“We were lucky to have reached that agreement with the Lions at the end of last week. We saw that there could be a risk. We were in a favorable position because our goodbye and that of the Lions were separated by a week.
“So there was a gap there and luckily the Cougars, with (boss) Marius (van Rensburg) and (head coach) Jimmy (Stonehouse) agreed to move our game against them to Sunday (Jan 10).”
However, the new dates drew criticism from social media users about whether the Bulls are unfairly benefiting from being able to keep playing their games, while other teams haven’t been able to do the same.
“I don’t think so. We have to play two games in the week leading up to the playoffs,” Rathbone said.
“The Lions, who have had two games canceled before, will be in the same boat. Protect the integrity of the competition. It is important that this game is played.”
He also emphasized that SA Rugby’s initial planning was unknowingly key to the new match date.
“People will wonder why the Griquas game couldn’t be rescheduled either, but it’s hard to do it when a team played on a Saturday and has to play the next Saturday again,” Rathbone said.
“It’s enormously challenging then to fit into a game during that midweek. So in this case, the Lions would have played on Saturday (before the rescheduled game) and we wouldn’t have. We will play the following Sunday, but the Lions have their game. goodbye “.
As a result, the Bulls did not conduct their usual round of Covid-19 testing on Monday, as the “substantial number” of positive cases within the team have yet to complete their 10-day isolation period, while at the same time allowing than the rest of the self-isolating group to minimize their exposure.
That will now take place on Sunday.
“It will allow us to have a clearer picture of where we are in terms of the outbreak,” Rathbone said.
